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AUBURNDALE-ON-THE-CHARLES 


POEMS 

RIVER  VERSES 
AND  OTHERS 

BY 

LOWELL  STARR 

WITH  SKETCHES  BY  THE  AUTHOR 


RICHARD  G.  BADGER 

THE   GORHAM    PRESS 
BOSTON 


COPYRIGHT,  1920,  BY  LOWELL  STAKK 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Made  in  the  United  States  of  America 
The  Gorham  Press 


CONTENTS 


CHARLIE  RIVER 

A  PATCH  OF  BLUE 

BITTERSWEET         .. 

CONSOLATION 

SYMPATHY     .         .         . 

EMPATHY.          ... 

FATE 

CHANCE    .... 

VIOLIN  SONNET  —  To  HAFI 

AEROSONNET 

YOUTH'S  STREAM  .. 

MOON  EAGLE 

To  A  VlOLETTE        .. 

MATIN      .        4  .  '.. 
THE  PEAKS  OF  DESTINY 
FIRELIGHT  AND  DAWN        . 
To  HER        .         . 


2138452   * 


POEMS 


RIVER    VERSES 
AND    OTHERS 


CHARLIE  RIVER 


On  the  Charlie  River, 
By  day  by  night, 

Where  the  aspens  quiver, 
Seek  we  delight 

In  a  canoe, 

Bobbie  and  I. 


There  the  blue  sky  blazes, 
Dazzles  thru  the  mist, 

As  the  Sun  raises 

Vapour  Sunbeam  kist 

From  the  emerald  shores. 


n] 


And  the  pine  trees  bend  and  sigh, 

Sad  as  if  repining, 
As  we  paddle  by, 

Or,  perhaps  divining 
Youth's  Eternal  Spring 

For  Bobbie  and  me. 


So  the  redwinged  blackbirds, 
Crane  and  tanager, 

Bursting  forth  in  songwords, 
Chorus  there's  no  danger 

From  a  red  canoe, 

From  Bobbie  and  me. 


[12] 


J  fc 


Yonder  rise  the  castle  walls, 

Turrets,  moat  by 

Drawbridge  spanned, 
Of  some  unknown  Jaspard's  Halls, 

Here  in  Nature's  fairyland 
Of  woods  and  flowers. 


Come  we  now  to  tiny  islands, 
Breaking  up  the  broad 
Expanse  (of  the  River,  of 

the  Charlie  River) 
And  lagoons  like  wreathed  garlands, 


Hedged  with  pine  and  bush, 
Forming  turquoise  patches 

In  the  underbrush, 

Waving  as  it  catches 

Gentle  Zephyr's  breath, 

Entrancing  Bobbie  and  me. 


And  our  red  canoe, 

Frail,  responsive  thing, 
Rides  the  rippled  blue, 

Balanced  like  a  bird  on  wing, 
Cheerily  on, 

With  Bobbie  and  me. 


14] 


Dreaming,  fondly  dreaming, 
Of  the  days  to  come, 

Out  there  on  the  River  (on 
the  Charlie  River), 

Where  Youth's  currents  run, 
There  is  perfect  freedom, 

Blessed  happiness, 

Making  earth  a  paradise 

Of  forgetfulness. 


15] 


A  PATCH  OF  BLUE 


That  little  patch  of  blue! 
How  bright  and  beautiful 
It  seems  when  I, 
Entombed  within  the  confines 
Of  these  barren  walls, 
Peer  out  between  the  dusty 

window  ledge 

And  shutters  into  the  azure 
Blue  of  vast  Eternity! 


[16] 


BITTERSWEET 


I  know  not  why  the  Bittersweet, 

A  paradox  of  Nature, 
Should  give  a  pleasing  taste 

To  any  living  Creature; 
And  yet,  when  yesterday 

I  won  a  gentle  kiss, 
It  waxed  so  sweet  and  bitter, 

'Twas  neither  that  nor  this. 
And  so  in  days  to  come, 

If  e'er  our  lips  shall  meet, 
I'll  span  the  dingy  past 

And  beg  for  Bittersweet. 


17] 


I 


CONSOLATION 


In  the  land  of  old  romance 

Once  I  lived,  long,  long  ago; 
In  a  world  of  song  and  dance, 

It  was  coloured  rainbow-fashion 
With  the  tint  of  crimson  wine, 

With  the  sweet  of  stolen  kisses, 
And  the  thrill  of  Love  divine; 

But  the  rainbow  now  has  faded 
To  a  sadder,  greyer  hue, 

'Til  the  safer,  saner  world 
I  leave  but  seldom  now, 

Just  for  Consolation's  sake. 


[18] 


SYMPATHY 


What  is  Life's  Stuff  then, 
Anyway,  without  response, 
Without  a  share  in  its 
Creation,  too!    Alas,  I  crave 
The  friendship  of  the  Dust. 

How  hard  it  is  to  reach 

f 

The  trembling  fingertip 
Along  the  Lyre's  limp  strings 
And  find  no  firm,  responsive 
Chord  to  satiate  the  Soul 
With  its  due  Harmony.     A  tale 
A  Soul  without  a  Mate, 
With  but  a  Universe  to  tell  it  to. 


19] 


EMPATHY 


My  heart's  abound  with  joy, 
This  gay,  May  day  with  all  its 
Wealth  of  azure  skies 
Above  the  shadowy,  lacelike 
Imagery  of  the  leaving  trees 
All  bursting  forth  alike 
Expanding  Nature's  pride. 
Could  I  but  live  a  fleeting 
Moment  way  up  there, 
Aloft,  on  high  somewhere 
And  set  my  soulwings  free,  .  .  . 
Enjoy  the  interrupted 
Pleasures  here  outside  the 
Magic  Circle  of  Life's 
Vital  Force,  ...  I  stay,  and  long, 
And  find  the  World  unreal. 


20 


FATE 


Much  we'd  like  to  tell  our  dear  ones 

All  the  secrets  of  the  heart, 

Down  where  our  eveready  memory  runs, 

Erasing  all  the  darker  part; 

Love  is  just  the  one  lone  secret 

In  between  the  written  lines; 

Never  shall  the  pen  disclose  it, 

Ever  sacred,  as  the  Fates  divine. 


21] 


CHANCE 


Upon  the  barren  plain 

There  was  a  storm; 

A  sheet  of  blinding  rain, 

A  draught  of  teardrops  warm; 

And  then,  ...  a  welling  flood 

Of  Penitence  without  a  Cause. 

Thunder  and  lightning, 

With  a  chill  wind  through 

The  bushes  blowing, 

And  the  dry  reeds, 

Cracking  and  complaining, 

Shed  their  seeds. 

But  which  among  them 

Will  that  tempest  stand? 

Poor  little  pawns  of  Chance ! 

A  million  others  might 

This  Earth  sometime  enhance 

If  Nature  cared  a  wight. 

'Tis  best,  perhaps,  she  doesn't  care 

And  leave  them  in  a  Game  of  Chance, 

As  Players  Unaware. 


22] 


VIOLIN  SONNET 

TO  HAFI 


Ah,  Paganfni,  old; 
A  Veteran  Minstrel,  Thou, 
Responsive  to  your  bow 
Your  subtle  curves  I  hold. 

A  tender,  furtive  Soul 
Your  vibrant  walls  confine; 
A  Saint,  elusive,  yet  Divine, 
Thy  mysteries  unroll! 

But  if  your  frail  body 
A  hundred  Souls  enclose, 
For  you  I'll  then  compose 
A  minor  melody, 

A  tune  for  Hafi's  sake 
To  keep  Her  Soul  awake! 


[23] 


AEROSONNET 


Descends,  all  but  unseen, 

An  autumn  leaf  on  high, 

From  the  garden  of  the  sky, 

Red,  white,  and  green. 

It  gleams  in  proud  descent 

To  wondering  multitudes  below, 

Beginning  fast  to  show 

Its  faltering  course,  .  .  .  life  spent. 

Close  now  to  earth,  it  blows, 

Touching  only  lightly  there 

The  emerald  field  so  fair 

Whence  first  it  rose, 

Green,  white,  and  red, 

Its  glory  ever  dead. 


[24] 


YOUTH'S  STREAM 


At  eventide  there  falls  a  hush  upon  the  stream, 
The  time  when  owls  and  nightbirds  scream 

With  shrill  and  startling  cries, 

Among  the  lofty  pines  with  their  soft  sighs, 

And  vesper  bells  across  the  mead  have  rung, 
Announcing  the  night  to  come. 


Just  at  this  lull  we  o'er  the  silvery  water  skim 

In  a  canoe  so  frail  and  slim, 
Sliding  thru  the  rippling  tide, 

As  if  its  slender  form  to  hide 
From  that  vast  mirror, 

Its  image  even  clearer. 


[25] 


Gliding,  slipping, 

Paddle  softly  dripping 
Tink  a  tanka 
Tank  a  tink,  .  .  .  plash, 

The  paddles  rise  and  dip  (O,  so 
softly  rise  and  fall), 


And  listening  to  the  nightbirds'  song, 
As  o'er  the  stream  we  rove, 

We  seek  a  dark,  sequestered  cove, 
And  hide  us  there. 


26] 


So  cool,  and  dark,  and  still, 
All  quiet,  save  the  croaking  frogs 

And  whip-poor-will, 
And  yet  beyond  the  fringeing  bush, 

The  crescent  moon,  unweary  Watchman  of  the  night, 
Sends  down  his  pale,  unlavish  light. 


So  dark,  and  still,  and  cool, 
Within  that  limpid  pool, 

Bristling,  ebon  shadows  round  us, 
Like  impervious  walls  beyond  us, 

Twinkling  stars  grow  dim  and  fade, 
As  we  lie  within  the  circling  shade. 


[27] 


So  still,  and  cool,  and  dark, 
Hid  in  the  bosom  of  that  woodland  park 

And  nestling  snugly  in  the  frail  canoe 
As  lovers  oft  are  wont  to  do, 

We  feel  the  thrill  of  joy  supreme, 
The  waking  passion  of  a  youthful  dream. 


Gliding,  slipping, 

Paddle  softly  dripping, 
Tink  a  tanka 
Tank  a  tink,  .  .  .  plash. 

The  paddles  rise  and  dip  (O,  so 
softly  rise  and  fall), 

Leaving  naught  but  memories  and  dreams 
Of  pleasures  found  on  Youth's  Immortal  Stream. 


28 


MOON  EAGLE 


A  yellow  haze  had  veiled  her  face, 

A  cross  of  white  stood  on  her  brow, 

Her  arms  stretched  outward  to  erase 

Four  streaming  bands  of  light  below 

Upon  the  black  Horizon's  countenance. 


29 


When,  lo,  the  warrior-lady  frowns, 

Her  face  grows  deathly  pale,  .  .  .  not  cold, 
Tempered  white  hot,  for  passion  knows  no  bounds; 

An  ebon  eagle  folds  his  wings 
Upon  the  banded  brilliance  of  her  arm. 


She  sends  him  down  the  path  of  white, 

Headlong  to  earth,  his  dusky  wings  outspread, 

Her  colour  fails,  the  earth  grows  dark, 

Until  he  shall  return,  ...  his  havoc  wrought  . 

To  tell  her  that  his  mission's  done. 


[30] 


TO  A  VIOLETTE 


A  tiny,  purple  thing 
You'll  say!     Modest  perhaps, 
It  tries  to  hide,  at  least, 
Its  soft,  mauve  hue  beneath 
A  canopy  of  green. 
But,  ah,  its  evanescent  charm 
Is  gloried  beyond 
The  fancied  worth  of  gems, 
The  glint  of  gold, 
The  silver's  chilly  sheen, 
Tawdry  and  cheap  displayed, 
But  senseless  stones  that  stay 
From  age  to  age  unchanged, 
That  neither  hear  nor  feel, 
Nor  know  the  joy  to  grow, 
To  live,  and  fade  and  die. 
O  Violette,  raise  your  head! 
'Tis  true  you  stole  your  hue, 
You  robbed  the  Sunset  glow; 
Alas,  'tis  but  to  wonder  how 
You  keep  it  so! 


MATIN 


You,  Cuckoo, 
There  beyond  the  park, 
Hiding  your  haughty, 
Restless  glance  the  while; 
Why  don't  you  ever 
Fly  across  and 
Light  upon  my 
Window-ledge  to 
Take  the  crumbs  I've 
Spread  and  sing  your 
Matin-song,  ...  to  me? 


THE  PEAKS  OF  DESTINY 


Sweetheart,  'tis  you 
Who  stirs  my  Soul 
Each  morn  beyond  the 
Bounds  of  Heart's  control 


When  I  awake  and  peer 
Into  the  brilliance  of 
The  morning  sky  and  feel 
Its  molten  radiance, 


[33] 


I  see  your  face 
Beaming  at  me  afar 
In  the  Sun's  first  rays, 
Like  a  morning  star. 


All  day,  through  the  busy 
Hours,  your  happiness  is  mine, 
And  so  I  know  unquestionably 
Your  Soul's  attune  with  me. 


[34] 


Again  at  Sunset  beyond 
The  corniced  heights 
Of  brick  and  stone, 
Above  the  city  towers 
And  spires,  when  I'm  alone, 


I  see  You,  too;  ah, 
Could  I  then  but  fly 
With  You  into  the  Crimson 
Lake  of  Setting  Sun ! 


[35] 


Among  the  friendly  hills, 
Far,  far  away  they  rise, 
Bedeckt  in  their  mauve  frills, 
Amid  the  saffron  skies, 


Ever  there,  and  yet  to 
Mortal's  dazzled  eyes 
Not  oft  in  view,  the  barrier 
Of  Eternity  defies. 


[36] 


'Tis  You,  Sweetheart, 
Who  every  evening  spurs  me  on 
To  find  somewhere,  apart, 
Beyond  the  fading  horizon, 


Up,  up,  among  the  bald, 
Majestic  Peaks  of  Destiny, 
That  Royal  Road,  where  I 
Can  reign  with  You,  Supreme. 


[37] 


I  ask  You  now,  my  Queen, 
"What  would  You  give, 
(If  this  be  not  an  idle  dream) 
"To  crown  him  with  Success?' 


[38] 


FIRELIGHT  AND  DAWN 


Have  you  in  your  many  travels 
Sat  before  a  dying  fire 
In  some  sylvan  wilderness 
With  your  Heart's  Desire? 


When  the  moon,  so  big  and  red, 
Buried  in  its  misty  shrouds, 
Strives  to  hold  its  heavy  head 
Above  the  haze  and  clouds. 


[39] 


And  the  night  sounds  all  around 
Make  you  know  the  World's  alive, 
When  afar  off  night  birds  sound 
Their  hollow,  plaintive  calls. 


While  the  heavy  night  air  brings 
The  welcome  gift  of  Sleep; 
As  the  forest  swells  and  rings 
With  echoes  hushed  and  deep. 


[40] 


In  the  fading  embers  there 
Burning  eyes  grow  grey 
And  dim  beneath  their  coverlet 
Of  warm,  grey  ash. 


The  drowsy  night  wind  comes 
And  bids  the  weary  soul 
Retreat  to  rest  upon  the 
Hemlock  boughs  beside  the  fire. 


[41 


Lucky  are  you  to  find 

The  slanting,  yellow  streaks 

Of  dawn  waking  your  sleeping  soul, 

Responsive  to  the  beckoning  morn. 


Rich  are  you,  when  you  can  lie 
Snug  in  your  cozy  lair, 
Beneath  the  sparkling  sky 
Fresh  in  the  dew-laid  air, 


[42] 


And  watch  the  new-born  day  awake, 
Throw  off  night  cap  and  robes, 
And  don  the  sunbeamed  raiment 
Of  another  Summer's  Day. 


[433 


TO  HER 


Long  I've  waited  here 
To  meet  a  maiden  fair; 
She  was  rich  in  Youth 
And  wavy,  chestnut  hair; 
But  when  I  looked  into 
Her  lovely  eyes  and 
Noted  her  soft  glance, 
So  timid  and  surprised, 
I  felt  I  loved. 
Well  I  know  the  glance 
I  gave  her,  too; 
It  was  adoring,  and  .  .  . 
If  Heaven  be  my  judge, 
Confessing  Truth. 


[44] 


